Flu Central

It has been Flu Central here at the Osenga house this week. I got off the bus Monday afternoon and, apart from a half day singing bgv's for the incredible Jon Troast (whose record I played guitar on this past Friday), and a day mixing an EP for a Birmingham artist named Natalie Moon, I've been at home trying to be a good dad to some sick girls.

I've got the day off tomorrow, bus call isn't until midnight, and I'm looking forward to just being here, reading books, watching Curious George and trying to get as much laundry/dishes done as I can before I head out for another three days.

And now we're changing subjects...

I've gotten a number of e-mails about the t-shirts. Yes, they're done, and yes, they're awesome. More awesome than I even expected. I've been selling them at shows and will try to get a temporary paypal store up next week to sell them online. Until, of course...

The new AndrewOsenga.com goes live. Which will have a good online store. And a bunch of other wonderful things. It's in development now, probably a month or two out, and I'm really excited about it. I'll tell you more as we get closer, but I already can't wait. If anybody has any great ideas you think we might not have hit on yet, please send them my way.

Also, the Free EP cd project has fizzled. The artwork was complete, the sampler was mastered, the CD was at the printers... and they got a bunch of stuff screwed around and all of a sudden it was moving so slowly that we would have missed the first eight shows of the tour. So I decided to pull the plug on it. It's a great idea. It's going to work. But I don't want to do something halfway, so I'd rather save the idea for the right tour, the right time. Thanks so much to everybody who voted on tunes and offered support for the printing. I still plan on it happening, just not this Season.

I'll try to post again tomorrow, if I catch a little free time. There's so much rumbling around in my brain that it bottlenecks when I sit down to post it and I end up just recounting my day. Thanks for your patience as I clear my head. If I don't get a chance to post again, Caedmon's will be spending the weekend in the Carolinas. We'd love to see you out. I'd love to see you out. If you make it to a show, please come say hello.

A great night for Hold the Light (and I just joined Facebook)

Well, it's happened. I joined Facebook. If you're on there, go find me and we can be friends.

We had another good show tonight in Pennsylvania. This morning the friends I paid homage to with the "willow tree" section of "Hold the Light" baptized their new baby boy this morning, while the recording of that song played. In their honor the guitar solo tonight was as joyous and hopeful as I knew how to let it be.

Thanks for everybody who came out and chatted tonight. These have been fun shows and I've been honored by the great response.

We're going home now where I'll get to spend the next few days with my flu-ish, feverish little girls. It will be sad that they're sick, but they get cuddly, and I'll feel guilty about enjoying that.

Creepy dreams in Pennsylvania

Spinal Tap's playing on the bus. That means it's a good night. We're in Pennsylvania now. Just had a great show here tonight, and tomorrow we have another one about an hour away. Which is nice.

The Andy and the Andys show the other night might have actually been a little too fun. I played bass the whole show, which was super fun, and we did nine songs, the six of our "band" songs and an original of each of ours. I felt like Timothy B. Schmitt singing lead with a bass on, which was helpfully inspiring.

I know some people took pictures from both my Birthday Jam and the Andy and the Andys show, so when I get them I'll post them. If anybody has some from tonight's Caedmon's show as well, I'd love to post them.

I redid my pedalboard while I'm waiting for one last piece to come in the mail, since it had been shorting out a few weeks ago. I'll try to grap a picture and show you, but I'm loving it right now. Swapped out compressors and I've been having fun trying to use it as little as possible, just for a change. It's always a good challenge to take the thing you use the most and try to not use it at all. Keeps me learning and trying new things.

My flu has turned into more of a weird head-cold/giant fog. Everything just sort of feels swimmy, but I'm able to pull off a show, so that's good. I took a nap this afternoon and had the weirdest dream. I was in a high-school musical and sneaking around backstage with my brother. Everywhere we went there were creepy old ladies just standing and watching us from deep in the shadows. The scariest part was that they were all like two feet tall. Eerie.

Well, I'm going to try and get some good sleep tonight. I was up a little too late last night because I got Ender's Game for my friend and I couldn't help but read it again. So good.

Thanks to everybody who came out to the show tonight. Hope to see you again tomorrow!

Birthday Boy

I got two main things for my birthday: A rockin' waffle maker (hotel/cafeteria style) and the flu. Not that big a fan of the flu.

Thanks to everybody who emailed and called me with birthday greetings yesterday. I didn't answer any of the calls because I couldn't really talk. Again: the flu. But thanks. I really appreciated it. It was a good day.

The show, ahem, the Birthday Jam was awesome last night. The band was smoking, and the songs where I didn't sing that much but had long guitar solos were good. My voice was pretty shot, but for the bulk of the set it seemed fine. That was the only bummer to a great night. Emily was awesome, as usual.

The flu is going around Nashville. Winn had it so bad he had to sit out the show, so with very little notice ol' Nick Flora, the Arkadelphia cowboy, sat in on keys and did a great job.

We had a bunch of different folks help out on background vocals last night. I had them set up an extra mic and different singers rotated. Alison, Cason, my cousin Dean, Emily, and Christopher Williams all took turns. It was really fun.

And speaking of Christopher Williams, he's doing a show tonight at The Rutledge, same place as last night, and he'll be followed by Andy and the Andys. I just happen to be in Andy and the Andys and we just happened to have our first rehearsal because tonight will be our first show, and you really ought to be there. It's going to be classic. Andrew Peterson, Andy Gullahorn, Andy Hubbard and myself. Christopher goes on about 8:30, and you've got to catch him, he's fantastic, and we'll go on right after him.

Hope to see you tonight!

Birthday Jam

Come on, party people,
Come on, party lambs,
Come down to the Rutledge
for an Andy Birthday Jam!

Once I got invited
to join somebody's show
then something crazy happened
and they have no show no mo

But I will still be rocking
with a killer band
Mister Odmark and Sir Eckberg,
Brother Winn and Aaron Sands

Did I mention it's my birthday
on Wednesday, yes, it's true,
I'll be turning 29
and all I want is you

to come downtown at 8 PM
and watch me and my friends
play some songs, with birthday glee
and solos without end

Also there is Emily
Deloach is her last name
She's really great, she's playing first
and I'll still be on stage

So come on, party people
Come on, party Lambs
Come down to the Rutledge
for an Andy Birthday Jam!

So in case that poem made no sense, I'm playing a show this Wednesday at the Rutledge, here in Nashville, TN. (CLICK HERE) It was originally somebody else's show and I was doing a set to support, but now they've pulled out and it's my show.

My band will be Paul Eckberg, Aaron Sands, Matt Odmark and Winn Elliott. They all sort of rule and you'll want to be ruled by them. I promise.

Also, like I said, it's my birthday. I'm not the type to make a big deal out of my birthday. If I didn't have a show you'd never hear me talk about it.

But I do have a show, so I want you there!

My friend Emily Deloach is playing as well. She's awesome, I talk about her on here all the time. Paul and I will be playing with her too, which will be great fun.

See you Wednesday night!